1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to books, and particularly to books which also have combined utility as three dimensional sculptures. More particularly, the present invention relates to three-dimensional sculptures which are in the form of toys and which include books within their bodies. It also relates to books having three-dimensional entertainment and sculptural features.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is sometimes difficult to interest young children in reading books. The prior art has addressed this problem by incorporating entertainment features into children's books to enhance the child's enjoyment, or by designing the books so that they are visually attractive and have eye-catching features. Such entertainment features have comprised, for example, pop-up figures, puppets or other items which are attached to or coordinated with a book. These entertainment features, however, are sometimes damaged or separated from the book during normal use. Such damage or separation may thereby cause the book to lose its interest and attractiveness to the child. Similarly educational books which provide instruction utilizing three-dimensional materials which are separate and distinct from the printed teaching and instructional materials are known in the art. However, because the three-dimensional portions are separate, they have the disadvantage that the instructions or the educational portion may be lost or misplaced from the three-dimensional portion, and thus render that portion substantially useless.
Substantially two dimensional books which are sculpted along their edges to represent an item or character are also known in the prior art. For example, in the prior art, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 143,943 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,743 teach and disclose substantially two-dimensional books in which the outside edges of an otherwise substantially flat book are shaped to represent a character or an item. In fact, U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,943 discloses books in the form of substantially two-dimensional wheeled vehicles having simulated wheel wells disposed adjacent the bottom edge of the book, and with three-dimensional wheels rotatably cantilever mounted at each of the simulated wheel wells. However, in this prior art patent, while the wheels themselves are three-dimensional, the wheels do not include any printed page portions, while the portion of the book which includes the printed pages is substantially flat and two-dimensional.
There is also in the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,100 which teaches an educational book having especially configured printed pages. As the book is opened the pages may be folded, connected and assembled so that upon final completion of the book an outline representation of an overall three-dimensional geometric object has been formed. However, the normal configuration provided by this book, as it is read, is two-dimensional, and after the three-dimensional object has been formed the pages of the book cannot be readily accessed for reading. Similar prior art patents which may be pertinent to this invention are: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,333,162; 2,354,381; and 3,248,806.
Also in the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,590 discloses two-dimensional children's books in which there are structural openings adjacent to the edges of the book. The printed matter depicts a scene and a steering wheel adjacent to the openings so that a child can place his fingers through those openings as if to grasp the steering wheel. This prior art, while providing some play or toy features, includes no substantial three-dimensional or sculptural features.
Therefore, there is a perceived need in the art for books which incorporate and combine three-dimensional structural features which permit the book to also function as a sculpture, and in certain instances take the form of a toy which can maintain a child's interest over a long period of time.